Ulsan HD vs Mamelodi Sundowns - LIVE!
Kick-off was delayed for more than an hour but it was worth the wait for Mamelodi Sundowns. The South African side held on to secure a deserved 1-0 win over Ulsan HD in their opening Club World Cup match to give them real hope of reaching the knockout stages.
Ulsan’s domestic season in South Korea is ongoing but they were unable to make the most of that advantage. Iqraam Rayners scored three times in the first-half but only one of those stood, as first a VAR review for handball and then the linesman’s flag denied him, but his one goal proved to be the winner.
The Group F action got underway earlier today, when Borussia Dortmund played out a goalless draw with Fluminense. The two remain the favourites to progress into the last-16, but the Sundowns know that a positive result against either of them could be enough for them to reach the knockout stages instead.
Ulsan vs Mamelodi Sundowns latest news
- FT: Victory for South African side
- GOAL! Rayners puts Sundowns in front
- Kick-off delayed by more than an hour
FT: Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
02:02 , Matt VerriVictory for the South African side!
Deserved one, too, and it leaves them with a huge chance of making the knockout stages.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
02:01 , Matt Verri90+3 mins: The Sundowns look a bit torn between trying to score a second or just going to the corner.
They go for neither, passing it all the way back to Williams in goal instead. Nearly there.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:57 , Matt Verri90 mins: Five minutes added on.
The Sundowns are passing it around near enough at walking pace. Ulsan look to have just run out of a bit of energy.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:54 , Matt Verri87 mins: It’s all Ulsan now.
Corner bounces around in the Sundowns’ box, defending is not particularly convincing.
Eventually it bobbles out for a goal-kick.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:50 , Matt Verri83 mins: Well then...
Referee says Williams holds the ball in his hands too long and awards a corner for Ulsan!
How costly will that be? Flicked on at the near post... but behind.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:47 , Matt Verri80 mins: Should be game over.
3-on-1 for the Sundowns, ball slid through to Ribeiro.
Opts against the shot from close range, flicks it across the face of goal and it’s scrambled away.
Ulsan go close at the other end, Cupido throws his body in the way to save the day.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:45 , Matt Verri78 mins: Trojak slices a clearance out of play - the Sundowns in no rush to get someone up to take this throw-in.
Delay anyway as an Ulsan player has gone down with what looks like cramp. I’d be surprised if he was time-wasting...
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:41 , Matt Verri74 mins: The Sundowns have been good enough to be two or three goals up, but this match is still in the balance.
Ulsan not yet throwing the kitchen sink at it - can’t be far away.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:37 , Matt Verri70 mins: Mokoena has been shooting all night - more of the same here?
Of course. Sends this one low into the wall. Think it might be time to give someone else a go.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:36 , Matt Verri69 mins: Clever from the Sundowns on the edge of the Ulsan area, quick feet to create the space.
And they win a free-kick 20 yards out... trouble for Ulsan.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:34 , Matt Verri67 mins: Nearly a chance for Ulsan, as Williams spills a cross.
Farias is there waiting to pounce, but Williams recovers just about in time to jump on the ball at the second time of asking.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:3164 mins: Bojanic threads a lovely ball through the Sundowns defence - they do well to scramble back and concede a corner.
DAZN decide to show an advert during that, before rejoining the fun for the goal-kick that follows. Ideal.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:28 , Matt Verri61 mins: Rayners threatens to run straight through the middle of the Ulsan defence.
The space is there for him, but Trojak does well to get back and slides in, timing the challenge perfectly.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:26 , Matt Verri58 mins: Nice move from Ulsan, knocking it around confidently and it’s worked out to Ludwigson on the left.
He shanks his cross straight out of play... and he was offside anyway.
Apart from that, perfect.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:22 , Matt Verri55 mins: Bojanic earns himself a yellow card that he doesn’t bother complaining about.
Sales was about to charge into space, but his shirt is grabbed and pulled back.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:19 , Matt Verri52 mins: Trojak absolutely nails a volley, couldn’t have caught that only sweeter.
Only problem is the ball absolutely flies into a team-mate to block it.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
01:16 , Matt Verri49 mins: Bit more energy from Ulsan at the start of this half. Going to guess their half-time talk was particularly friendly.
Already feels like it’s opened up a lot more.
Back underway!
01:14 , Matt VerriHere we go again, second-half up and running!
HT: Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:55 , Matt VerriThat’s half-time.
The South African side have had the better of it and lead through Rayners, who also had two goals disallowed.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:52 , Matt Verri45+1 mins: Williams, for no other reason than he must be bored, comes flying off his line.
Gets nowhere near the ball, Chung-Yong lifts a finish over his head and Lunga gets back to clear it off the line.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:50 , Matt Verri44 mins: Free-kick for the Sundowns, surely too far out for a shot.
Mokoena, again, thinks otherwise. Decent effort this time, Jo in goal does a good job of diving in a way that makes it look like he was at full stretch.
Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:48 , Matt Verri41 mins: It’s so easy for the Sundowns at the moment, just strolling through the Ulsan midfield.
Ulsan can be grateful it’s only 1-0... could easily be three down.
GOOO... OFFSIDE!
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:45 , Matt VerriRayers is having a mixed old night!
He’s in again and lifts a finish over the goalkeeper, into the back of the net.
The celebrations begin... and then a very late offside flag goes up.
GOAL! Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns | Iqraam Rayners 36'
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:42 , Matt VerriTold you!
Ulsan have decided they don’t particular fancy marking anyone and it’s proved costly.
Rayners played in on goal straight through the middle and he pokes a finish into the bottom corner.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:40 , Matt Verri34 mins: Ulsan have barely left their half in the last ten minutes or so.
Feels like a Sundowns goal, one that will actually count, isn’t too far away.
NO GOAL!
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:37 , Matt VerriHold up, we have a VAR review for handball.
And the referee explains to the 12 fans in attendance that it has been ruled out.
Ulsan survive.
GOAL! Ulsan 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns | Iqraam Rayners 29'
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:36 , Matt VerriIt was coming!
Corner swung into the near post, it’s absolutely terrible defending.
Nobody there to clear, nobody marking Rayners and he bundles it in from a couple of yards out.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:34 , Matt Verri28 mins: Corner for the Sundowns, pressure is building.
Bit of a delay for an injury in the Ulsan defence, as the block was made.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:31 , Matt Verri25 mins: That might be the worst shot of the tournament so far.
Mokoena is 30 yards out when the ball rolls out to him and decides he is well capable of rifling it in the top corner from there.
The next few seconds suggest otherwise. That ball should reach land again by tomorrow night.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:29 , Matt Verri22 mins: Long ball launched forward, Um briefly thinks he’s in but can’t quite get there.
Ulsan stay on the attack, played to Bojanic on the edge of the box... and he basically passes it to the goalkeeper.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:25 , Matt Verri19 mins: Plenty of energy in midfield from the Sundowns, quick to win it back when they do lose the ball.
Nothing, though, in the way of clear-cut chances since those opening seconds.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:23 , Matt Verri16 mins: Clumsy from Zwane, gives away the free-kick and Ulsan have a real chance from this. Perfect position, just over 20 yards out.
Referee decides he’ll have a chat with everyone in the wall before letting this be taken.
Didn’t need to bother, it’s blasted over them and over the wall.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:19 , Matt Verri13 mins: I’m already sort of regretting saying this won’t finish 0-0.
After a frantic start, the pace has slowed right down.
Crowd update - there is a pocket of about 100 Sundowns fans trying to create something resembling an atmosphere. Good effort.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:14 , Matt Verri8 mins: The Sundowns look the more confident on the ball, Ulsan have basically only seen it once... and nearly scored from that.
The South Korean side are sitting very deep out of possession, everyone back behind the ball.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:10 , Matt Verri4 mins: Not a chance this is finishing 0-0.
Ulsan’s turn to attack and the Sundowns look just as vulnerable at the back.
Farias throws himself at a low cross, turns the ball just over the bar.
Ulsan 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:08 , Matt Verri2 mins: Good start this from the Sundowns.
Ulsan kick-off but the South African side have a chance inside 15 seconds. Sales with the shot, well blocked.
KICK-OFF!
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:06 , Matt VerriMore than an hour late but we are at long last up and running!
We best get some goals after all this messing around...
Players are back out on the pitch having another warm-up.
We can only keep our fingers crossed that we don’t have to have the individual walk ons again...
New kick-off time
Tuesday 17 June 2025 23:46 , Matt VerriRight then, some useful information.
The lightning has supposedly clear and we’re fine to get on with the match.
Kick-off now set for 7:05pm local time - that’s 20 minutes from now.
Latest on the weather
Tuesday 17 June 2025 23:43 , Matt Verri“More updates will be provided soon,” is the update from the stadium.
“Gates are currently open. Fans are asked to seek shelter in the concourse or remain in their cars.”
They could probably all fit in one car to be fair.
The wait goes on...
Tuesday 17 June 2025 23:37 , Matt VerriI’d love to tell you something. Anything.
But nothing is happening... we’re waiting for some news still.
Gianni Infantino is one of those in attendance for this match, enjoying another reminder of what a wonderful tournament FIFA have put on.
Making an entrance!
Tuesday 17 June 2025 23:26 , Matt VerriWhile we continue to stare at the clouds, why not enjoy this from earlier?
The Sundown players made themselves heard as they walked out together.
💛💚#FIFACWC
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 17, 2025
I guess there might be some adverse weather if we wait long enough.
No update yet on how long kick-off has been delayed for.
Give it ten minutes and then just do rock, paper, scissors I reckon.
So adverse weather the reason for the delay to kick-off.
Referee must have a very good eye for these things - it currently looks a bit cloudy and slightly windy.
The fans, all six of them, are moving towards the seats that are under cover.
Kick-off delayed!
Tuesday 17 June 2025 23:04 , Matt VerriWell then.
All that messing around and just as the players are about to kick off, the referee takes everyone off.
There’s a concern about some weather in the area.
Tremendous.
We’ve had the walk outs, we’ve had the handshakes, and we’ve had some very tight camera shots to try and avoid attention on a 90% empty stadium.
Time for kick-off!
Here we go!
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:57 , Matt VerriPlayers are again walking out one by one as they are introduced individually.
No, I’m not sure what the point is either.
Ten minute warning!
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:49 , Matt VerriNot long now until kick-off in Orlando.
Think we might have hit triple figures for fans in attendance now. But I still reckon if one of them sneezed, it might put the players off.
View from inside the stadium
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:36 , Matt VerriWell... it’s not exactly a sell-out.
I count 97 people at Ulsan vs Mamelodi Sundowns here in Orlando
— Maher Mezahi (@MezahiMaher) June 17, 2025
This has to be the worst attendance of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup so far? pic.twitter.com/2TkHskwMC4
Route through the knockout stages...
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:31 , Matt VerriIt would be a bit of a surprise if either of these sides made it out of the group.
Should the Sundowns or Ulsan do so, they are likely to face either Inter Milan or River Plate in the last-16.
Win that, and it could be Manchester City in the quarter-finals. Easy work.
Big scorelines already
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:19 , Matt VerriThe tournament is only a few days old but there’s already been a fair bit going on.
Bayern Munich’s opening Club World Cup tie made for uncomfortable viewing as the 34-time German champions stamped out the star-crossed dreamers Auckland City.
The Kiwi contingent came into the tie as the Club World Cup’s only amateur side, with many of their players having to take time away from work or school to play in the United States, and they were duly beaten 10-0.
Ulsan team news
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:08 , Matt VerriStarting XI: Jo, Trojak, Seo, Kim, Ludwigson, Lee, Jung, Bojanic, Ko, Um, Farias
Subs: Baek, Choi, Heo, Kang, Kang, Kim, Kim, Lacava, Lee, Lee, Moon, Park, Lee, Yago, Yoon
Mamelodi Sundows team news
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:04 , Matt VerriThe South African side have confirmed their starting XI.
As expected, it’s Sales and Rayners leading the line, with support from Zwane and Ribeiro.
🚨𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙓𝙄🚨
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) June 17, 2025
🆚 Ulsan HD
⏰ 18H00 EDT - Tuesday 17 June | 00H00 SAST - Wednesday 18 June
🏟 Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Florida
📺 SS 203
🔗 Catch all the action for FREE, live on DAZN! Register today: https://t.co/k46ybUySMr#Sundowns #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld… pic.twitter.com/WTj0bqmhJs
Slow start to tournament
Tuesday 17 June 2025 21:45 , Matt VerriEnzo Maresca has issued his verdict on the “strange environment” at the Club World Cup, as Chelsea played their first fixture inside an “almost empty” stadium.
Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandes saw off a spirited LAFC side 2-0 in Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday evening but the 70,000-capacity NFL ground attracted an attendance of just 22,137.
Thousands of empty seats in the most prominent lower tier of seating were visible on the TV coverage, while the lack of atmosphere inside the ground was further heightened by the individual player walk-on introductions ahead of kick-off.
Most of the noise came from the 150 LAFC ‘ultras’, despite Chelsea fans largely outnumbering their American counterparts.
BBC Sport report that FIFA were hoping for 26,000 in attendance, a figure a little over a third of the capacity, which was still not met, and will do little to persuade onlookers against a perceived apathy towards the newly expanded tournament.
The kick-off time is likely to have played a part, taking place at 3pm local time on a Monday and 2,000 miles away from Los Angeles. The Athletic report that the cheapest available ticket on sale on official tournament vendors in the hours ahead of kick-off were still $53 (£39).
Earlier today...
Tuesday 17 June 2025 21:29 , Matt VerriGroup F has already got up and running.
Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense, the two favourites to progress through to the knockout stages, played out a goalless draw.
There was a debut for Jobe Bellingham... and that was pretty much it.
Standard Sport prediction
Tuesday 17 June 2025 21:17 , Matt VerriBoth sides are used to winning domestically and will be targeting this fixture as their best bet of getting a win.
Do so and they will be potentially one positive result away from the knockout stages, so there is every reason to hope for plenty of entertainment tonight.
Draw, 2-2.
Mamelodi Sundowns team news
Tuesday 17 June 2025 21:07 , Matt VerriLucas Suarez missed out on the Sundowns’ squad for the Club World Cup.
Iqraam rayners and Lucas Ribeiro will be the two key players in attack - the pair were involved in 42 goals for the South African side last season. Not too shabby.
Ulsan team news
Tuesday 17 June 2025 20:57 , Matt VerriUlsan’s big threat will come up front from Brazilian Erick Farias, who has eight goals in his last 14 matches.
Swedish striker Gustav Ludwigson has also been in strong form.
How to watch Ulsan vs Mamelodi Sundowns
Tuesday 17 June 2025 20:44 , Matt VerriLive stream: Viewers can also watch the action live online via the DAZN website, which is free with a registration. Coverage starts at 10pm BST ahead of an 11pm kick-off.
DAZN is the global broadcaster of the new-look Club World Cup and will show all 63 matches of the competition.
No subscription is required to watch the game, with the entire tournament available to their 'Freemium' members, which means you only need to sign up for a free DAZN account.
TV channel: The game will not be televised live in the UK.
Live blog: You can follow all the action right here with us!
Good evening!
Tuesday 17 June 2025 20:35 , Matt VerriHello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE of Ulsan HD vs Mamelodi Sundowns at the Club World!
The South Korean side take on the South African champions, in what is the best chance both sides will have of picking up three points in the group stage.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news right here ahead of kick-off at 11pm BST!
